STEVENAGE manager Graham Westley was full of praise for his players after they bounced back from play-off dismay to lift the FA Trophy.

Boro lifted the cup just five days after losing an agonising Blue Square Premier play-off semi-final to Cambridge, 4-3 on aggregate thanks to a 119th-minute goal, having won the first leg 3-1.

Westley said: “Our priority was promotion, but credit to the lads. All of us were gutted to miss out with the defeat to Cambridge on Monday. But the players showed a lot of character. We’ve re-prioritised and we’re obviously delighted to get the victory.

“When you lose a game like that (on Monday), the disappointment is immense. You really are low. It’s hard to lift yourself, never mind the players.”

It was Stevenage’s second FA Trophy success, having beaten Kidderminster 3-2 in the 2007 final – the first match to be played at the new Wembley stadium.

Goalscoring hero Steve Morison, the deserved man of the match, said: “I feel sorry for the York boys as they gave it a great bash but we got the first goal and went on and won it.”